The Gift Within
by siberianknight
Summary: Heero finds himself in a world fit for the inside of his books. A mystery surrounds his role there, and whispers of forbidden love hang in the air. Just why do they need Heero? 1x2x1 AU & Fantasy
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Notes_: For those of you who are familiar with my other two stories, you'll note that this one is a bit odd. I hope that everyone will give it a try, because it will become less and less odd as it goes on -- mostly because there will be more information about everything, and it'll make more sense ... Enjoy! And as always, comments are appreciated. :)

_This story originally was supposed to be an ordinary college tale about a shy and geeky Heero. However, somewhere along the way, it turned into this very odd fantasy tale with everything that makes up a perfect cliched fantasy story. I make fun of this in several spots ... and most of it is brought about because Heero writes these types of stories, and now finds himself in one.  
This is a _**rewrite** _of the first chapter. I have changed the out-of-character behavior, and generally completely rewrote parts of the chapter. Heero is now the only one who is out-of-charcter, but will become himself eventually. As in _Dragonflly_, there will be some OCs in the story. Most of the characters in this chapter are _not _going by their real names. The reason for this is because it is an important part of the story. Don't worry though, they still have their own names and I will be using them again very very soon. -- For an explanation ont the names, and the characters they are connected to (in case you are unable to figure it out from behavior and descriptions) see note_ 1 _thank you_--

Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, 5xR, 6x13   
Warnings: whole story M/M sex, sexuality, language, some violence chapter None  
Chapter Status: COMPLETE

-----

"It's clear from the evidence that he needs help, but I don't see what this has to do with our organization, m'lady." Clear blue eyes rested on the priestess who was lounging in a bored fashion before him. She was playing with one of the many curls in her flaming red hair, her expression a thoughtful one. Quietly she mulled over what Jester had stated, before she turned her deep aqua eyes to the other man standing before her.

"And what is your take on this situation, Knight?"

He smirked slightly and then turned his deep purple-blue eyes to the other man. "It'll be a challenge."

As always Knight's eagerness to do anything that seemed exciting grated against Jester's more calm nature. He turned to face the younger man, rage was slowly beginning to burn within his eyes. "Knight ... do you honestly know what you're getting yourself into? You have _never_ been there before! I on the other hand have!" Jester slapped the back of his hand against his open palm as if to emphasize each word's importance. This younger man was definitely too reckless in his opinion, and if he went alone there was no telling what kind of mess would come of the situation.

The priestess rose from her large chair and walked up to the two men, her face quietly reserved so that they could not see the decision at which she had arrived. "Please ... Jester, stop. If Knight wants this, then it's _his_ decision. You may be his guardian but he does have a mind of his own."

Jester's mouth dropped open slightly and then closed. He lowered his gaze to the floor and tried to quiet the anger and worry that was raging within him. When he finally spoke, his voice was a mere whisper. "But, he's my ward -- Yes m'lady." It was no use fighting both of them. Jester's bow was shallow, why was he always just giving into other people and not trying harder for what he wanted? He sighed quietly and then left the priestess, Fayte, and Knight alone. 

Knight watched the man who had been his guardian since he was but six years of age, walk away with slumped shoulders. "It'll be alright, Knight. He'll realize that you were the best person to go after _him_."

"Do you think that he'll remember me? I mean --" Knight's eyes closed tightly as tears threatened to fall. It had been at least ten years since he had last seen his old friend, and he wasn't sure how everything had affected his memories. "Never mind. I shouldn't be thinking about that." The normal happy glow filled Knight's deep purple-blue eyes as he looked at Fayte. "This country needs him, and I'm going to bring him back -- there's no need to worry."

Fayte's soft face held a gentle smile as she walked with Knight down the winding corridor of the castle. "Knight," He glanced briefly at his friend as he waited to hear what she was going to say. "I want you to remember that he may not be the same person as he once was. Don't expect too much." She could tell by his small grin that he had been thinking the same thing, despite that, however, she was still worried.

"I told you ... there's no need to worry. Everything will be alright, just let me take care of it." Fayte shielded her eyes from the purple glow which was the mark of Knight's magic, quietly she whispered a small prayer of guidance and luck as the light died away.

-----

Heero glanced around the empty classroom one last time to make certain he had cleaned up the last bit of trash. Why did he let that group always push him into doing their duties? He was such a pushover. Heero leaned heavily against the broom handle and sighed; life had been like this for the past thirteen years, in other words for as long as he had been in school. "Hey, Heero!" The familiar voice caused his heart to happily skip. He glanced at the open classroom door where his longtime friend, Tsuzuki, was leaning against the jamb and grinning at him. They had first met in elementary school, the two of them engaging in a paste battle, which had been started of course by the mischievous Tsuzuki. "Keiko and I are going to the cafe down the street and we were wondering if you wanted to come too?"

Heero felt his heart sink a bit. He loved going out with Tsuzuki Hikaru, but he couldn't say that he cared much for Keiko. It wasn't as if she were a bad person, but he always felt very awkward around her; he swore that she gave off this aura that said she didn't want him around.

"So, Heero ... do you wanna go or not?"

After a few more moments of silence, Heero smiled and nodded. "Let me get my bag." Tsuzuki was his usual talkative self, and Heero listened quietly, grateful for the alone time with his friend. When they arrived at the burger cafe, Keiko stood up and waved to Heero and Tsuzuki as they entered. Heero's shoulders slumped as he realized that Keiko had decided it would be a good idea to bring her friend, the very shy and quiet Tomoko, with her. Undoubtedly she was trying, yet again, to set Heero up with a girl, which did not amuse him in the least. The past few times she had tried this, they had all ended in a complete disaster. 

As he followed a few steps behind Tsuzuki, Heero watched with growing animosity as Keiko ran up to him and took both of his hands in hers. She poked her head around Tsuzuki to look at Heero, the grin on her face looked a bit like the Cheshire Cat's smile to him. "Um, Heero-kun, this is my good friend Tomoko-chan. Tomoko, this is Heero-kun."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Tomoko bowed so deeply that Heero thought she would hit her forehead on the table. He grunted softly and only bowed slightly in return. Keiko quietly worked the seating arrangement so that Heero was forced to sit beside Tomoko, making his bad day complete. Heero stared down at his burger and fries as he listened to Tsuzuki and Keiko flirt, he was having a hard time trying to suppress the urge to reach across the table and shut her up. All he wanted was to be alone with Tsuzuki. Alone. A warm glow of realization flooded Heero's body at that moment, he loved Tsuzuki. He lifted his gaze up to his friend and began to stare as if it were his first time seeing him. Why had Heero never noticed these feelings of love before? It had been pure and innocent until that moment, but now he knew with no uncertainty that he wanted to be more than friends with Tsuzuki. All this time the feelings of hatred and annoyance toward Keiko had been because he was _jealous_ of her relationship with him.

Tsuzuki glanced over at his friend, and noticed with some puzzlement that he was glaring oddly at him. "Heero, are you alright?"

Heero blinked a few times and then slid out of the booth. "F-fine ... I just -- I need to be excused."

The water was startlingly cold as he splashed some onto his face; as he wiped the moisture away, he gazed into the mirror. The Heero which gazed back looked tired and sad. His hair was falling in his face, and his eyes were glazed over with doubt. As he studied his reflection, he began to feel a pair of eyes watching him. Another face with familiar purple-blue eyes, appeared beside his own in the silvery surface of the mirror. Heero turned around quickly and surveyed the room, but there was no one else in the bathroom. Confused, he slowly turned back to find that the familiar visage was still there. The man looked exactly like Tsuzuki, the only difference was that his hair fell in soft long waves, instead of a short cropped style. Not knowing what else to do, Heero quietly voiced a simple question, hoping that what he was speaking to wasn't his imagination. "Wh-who are you?" 

The man had a gentle look on his face as he smiled at Heero. "Did I go back too far?"

'_Back too far_?' Heero felt lost on the man's meaning, but continued to stare at him in the mirror. Why did he look like Tsuzuki? The man's voice was nothing like his friend's, in fact it was a bit deeper. It was strange though that Heero wasn't afraid of this stranger, in fact he felt safe with him nearby, it was almost as if he had known him for a very long time.

"You look too young. About eighteen?" 

The warm voice caused a momentary speechlessness in Heero. Why was he asking his age, and why had he not answered his question yet? Pouting slightly, Heero decided to turn around again, only to find that there was still no one there. His shoulders drooped a bit in disappointment and he calmly tried to convince himself that it had been an illusion.

To rid himself of the unsettling feelings, Heero splashed more cold water onto his face; he was unaware of Tsuzuki quietly pushing open the door and peering inside. Tsuzuki found his friend staring down into the sink, it was obvious to him that Heero was upset over something, but he was unsure as to what was the cause. He reached out his hand, startling Heero. "Heero -- you're awfully jumpy, are you alright? The girls are worried about you ... so am I." Heero turned his eyes up to meet Tsuzuki's. He debated for the space of a breath's time whether he should reveal his feelings or not. If he did, it could ruin their friendship, but on the other hand, if Tsuzuki also had feelings for him, then it would work out for the best. "Heero?"

"I -- I love you!" He knew that his voice had been overly loud, and could tell by the myriad of emotions which crossed over Tsuzuki's face that he had been very surprised by the outburst. Despite the despair which he was currently feeling, Heero gazed determinedly into those purple eyes which had been a comfort and a pain to him throughout his eighteen years of life.

"Hee -- ro ... you --?" Tsuzuki almost laughed, but stopped himself, after all, Heero looked serious. There was a long weighted pause before he finally decided to speak. "I ... I don't know how to tell you this, Heero. You've been my best friend for almost thirteen years now. I love you too, but not the way you want me to love you. I'm straight. I like girls -- not guys. I'm so sorry, Heero ..." Stunned and confused, Heero began to stumble slowly away from Tsuzuki, who reached out trying to stop him. "Heero, Keiko and I -- I was going to tell you today, but ..." 

"It's okay ... it doesn't matter. I should have kept my mouth shut." Heero's heart felt as if it had been cut in two halves. In an attempt to retain his dignity, he squared his shoulders and put on a blank expression as he left Tsuzuki. With those three simple words, he knew that his relationship with him had been changed forever.

-----

Loud music, happy faces, and a married couple rushed around before Heero as he sat far away from the festivities. Everyone, especially Tsuzuki and Keiko, held bright smiles as they danced in their simple state of bliss. The newlyweds looked happy and content, and Heero knew that he would never have been able to put that same smile on his friend's face; no matter how much he wished with all his heart that he could have. "Yuy, why are you way over here? Tsuzuki's been asking for you." WuFei's arms were crossed against his chest, he wasn't about to allow him to wallow in self-pity. "Will you stop being selfish and _talk_ to your best friend!"

WuFei was right, but Heero wasn't going to admit that. "I don't feel so well ..." He was enjoying feeling miserable by himself, he had at least shown up for the wedding, had that not been enough? Not wanting to argue with him, WuFei walked away to find Tsuzuki. Heero hoped that would be the end of being bothered; however, only a few moments later, he was staring into the eyes of his best friend.

"Heero, you can't sulk ... I don't want you to. Look, I brought a few friends from my university ... they all seem interested in you. Why don't you go and talk to them?" A strain on their relationship had been placed since Heero's innocent declaration. Tsuzuki had never wanted anything to come between them, and he had hoped continuously in the months that had followed that things would somehow become normal again; however, Heero seemed to have not allowed that to happen. No matter what he did, things remained the same.

"I'm not interested." 

"Heero," Tsuzuki's unnaturally serious tone garnered Heero's attention, and he turned his dark blue eyes to his friend. If it would make him happy, then he would at least listen. "Please, they're guys. I want you to at least go and say 'hello.' So as not to be rude." Upset at being told to see replacements for Tsuzuki, Heero stood and stomped away, leaving his friend to stare helplessly after him.

It wasn't like he wanted to have a boyfriend to mask the pain he was feeling right now. Tsuzuki seemed to not realize that it wouldn't be fair to the other person Heero spent several moments collecting himself and then decided that he would quit being antisocial and congratulate the bride.

------

Heero stared at the half drawn panel for his latest manga, his small Tokyo apartment was dimly lit and his brain felt the same. His publisher had requested several more chapters from him. Despite his success, Heero felt depressed and alone. He had tried several times to start a relationship with someone, but every time it would collapse because of him. "I'm broken." With a soft thud, his head hit the desk. "Ow." A rich chuckle echoed softly behind him, and with a strong sense of panic, he turned around so quickly that he fell out of his drafting chair. "Ow ... again."

Knight winced as he watched Heero hit the floor in an unflattering heap. "Are you okay?" Heero blinked a few times, was he dreaming? The man bent down over him, his long butterscotch-colored hair brushed softly against his cheek causing a mild scent of mangoes to waft into his nose.

Heero struggled a bit to right himself, all the while the intruder was grinning at him. Finally in an upright position on the floor, Heero tried to give off an air of authority as he questioned the other man. "How did you get in here?" 

Knight's heart sunk a bit as he noted the uncertainty and low self-esteem in his old friend. He had known that he would be different, but had not expected him to be the complete opposite of his old self. "You won't believe me if I told you." Heero watched the other man carefully. This was that person from the bathroom so long ago, the one who resembled Tsuzuki so much. Why was he there in his apartment, had he hit his head and just imagining things? Heero began to feel for any cuts or bumps, which elicited a cheery laugh from the other man. "You didn't hit your head. Promise." Their eyes locked and for a moment, Knight thought that he saw his old friend reflected in the depths of Heero's eyes; however, in the next moment, he was gone, replaced by the jittery coward.

Heero raised an unsteady finger to Knight. "You ... you're ... you." His world was beginning to swim back and forth before him, his mind unable to make sense of what was happening. Knight could see that he was close to passing out, but was uncertain how to help him.

"My name is, Knight."

"Kn -- Knight? But you look like ..." Heero tried to hold on to his fragile reality, but his mind made the final decision for him. Within in a few brief moments, his world went black.

Knight watched with a heavy heart as Heero tipped over and came to rest on the floor. "Well, you didn't have to faint, Heero. But then again, you always were one for surprises." He sighed as he scooped him up into his arms. "Time to go." Before walking away from the desk, Knight stole a glance at Heero's drawing. "You always were a closet pervert."

He carried his burden into the center of the room and in a monotone whisper chanted, "By the sun, by the moon, with the sureness of the eagle's eye ... carry us into the sky." With a burst of bright light, a large array formed slowly beneath his feet and began to glow with a vivid purple hue.

-----

Heero blinked his eyes a few times to bring his foggy vision back into focus. When the haze cleared, he found himself gazing at a ceiling which was not his own. The support beams were visible and painted in bright colors of green and gold. His nose began to tingle as he recongnized the strong scent of incense hanging in the warm air. Wondering where he was, he slowly began to look around. The large room was as brightly colored as the ceiling. Thinking he was alone he turned on his side, but discovered that there in the chair beside him, was the man who had entered his apartment. "Tsu--"

Knight's eyes were closed, but he had known the moment Heero had awakened. He had prepared himself for that moment, but still to hear him start to call him by a different name upset him. He couldn't help but wonder who this other person was. "My name is Knight," he drawled with a small sigh.

Heero could tell that he was unhappy, but couldn't bring himself to ask why. He stared for a few moments at the face before him. This other man really did look like Tsuzuki, but there was no way that they were the same person. "Um ... can I ask you a question?"

Knight opened one eye and peered at Heero, which turned out to be his forced calm's undoing. He immediately shut his eye as he felt the heat rush into his cheeks, and tried to hide his reaction by focusing his attention on a loose thread. "What is it?"

"Um, well -- I ..." Heero was so confused by the different emotions which were starting to stir within him, that he found himself unable to hold onto a single thought for more than a second's space of time. This man, Knight, was confusing him by just being near him. "Sorry, this is all a bit overwhelming." Heero decided that if he sat up and looked straight ahead, then maybe he wouldn't have a hard time trying to focus on what he wanted to say. Taking his eyes off of Knight, did seem to help a bit, but he was still very much aware of the other man's presence. "I just wondered why you look like my friend Tsuzuki. That was all."

"Really? Interesting ... well, they say everyone has a twin." Heero could feel the glow of Knight's smile, and his heart warmed a bit. If this was a dream, he hoped that it wouldn't turn into a nightmare, mirroring that event in the bathroom so long ago.

"I'm not so sure that's it ... by the way, where am I?" He could feel Knight's eyes on him, and knew that he couldn't continue to avoid looking at the other man for much longer. Reluctantly, he returned his attention to the other man, who was staring at him with a gentle expression.

"I was instructed to take you to see the priestess as soon as you awakened."

"Priestess?" This dream of his was sounding a bit like one of his older manga stories. He found himself wondering what type of person this priestess was, whether she was gentle or mean.

"Yes, priestess. She's known as Fayte, but address her only as '_m'lady_,' or, '_priestess_.' Understand?" Knight's eyes shown as Heero nodded in reply. As he rose, he placed his long black coat on his body. "Ready?"

"Uh ... yes." Heero scurried quickly after him trying to keep up with his long strides, but half way out of the room, he realized that he had forgotten his shoes.

-----

"M'lady, Lord Eiichi is coming." The priestess lowered the book which she was reading a few inches and peered over its edge at her favorite protector, Shironeko. His blond hair was in dire need of a trim, even though he didn't seem to mind it falling in his eyes. Shiro, as the priestess called him, was a gentle soul who only wished everyone happiness; however, if anyone he cared for came into danger, he was there instantly to help. His unwavering loyalty had been what had earned him his position as head of the guard.

Fayte laid the book down, there was a quietness about her this evening, which was not typical of her naturally happy personality. Shiro wondered if it had anything to do with what the Exiles were planning. "Thank you Shiro. I'm amazed that it only took him a year to track him down. I believe that if I had sent Jester as he had demanded, this would not have happened so quickly." 

"Hmm ... I agree, m'lady." Shiro watched as the priestess rose from her seat and calmly smoothed her hair. The two had known each other for so long, that they never needed to speak to one another when they needed something; so after she finished straightening her hair, he handed her the silver flowered crown, which indicated her station.

The priestess smiled tenderly at him as she patted his arm in thanks. "You're not secretly reading my mind ... are you?"

Shiro grinned brightly and scratched the tip of his nose to hide his embarrassment. "You know I can't do that. I'd get into trouble."

The priestess returned the grin and leaned forward closer to Shiro's face. "Are you saying that you've never been tempted?" Fayte's eyes glowed as she teased the young boy. Shiro was at least a good head's height shorter when he was in his natural state, which caused him to look like a young teenager of about thirteen. With some of the strongest magical power of their land in his possession, he had invented the size change to allow himself to keep much of that power in reserve. He grinned as he playfully returned the priestess's tease.

"I refuse to answer that." With a happy bounce in his step, he moved over to the throne and sat cross-legged beside the chair. Fayte followed calmly behind him and waited for Knight to bring Yuushi Eiichi to her(1).

-----

Heero gazed slack-jawed as he followed Knight though the maze of twisting corridors. The hallways were just as ornately decorated as his ceiling had been, and in fact he was beginning to feel as if he had landed in an Indian castle. There were statues of various animals placed in recessed shelves centered within each ornamental column. Heero noted that their faces were all pointing in the direction in which they were heading. He was dying to ask Knight why, but then decided not to bother. He looked at Knight's strong back, and wondered again why he felt this odd connection to him. It couldn't be because he looked like Tsuzuki, that was too simple an answer, but then again, it was a possibility.

The two men walked silently for what seemed like forever to Heero, it wasn't that he minded walking, in fact he loved it. Like many living in Tokyo, it had been his predominant means of transportation, of course Heero also loved to exercise. "We're almost there ... getting tired?" Knight's eyes held that same gentle concern as before, and Heero could feel himself blushing slightly. Because of this unnatural reaction, he was surprised when he began to feel the urge to hit him. Never in his life had he felt the desire to be violent, that just wasn't like him. Most of the time Heero had backed down from fights, afraid of confrontation, but at this moment, he really wanted to do something to put a stop to these strange sensations which this man's face was causing.

Just as Heero was about to say something to Knight, they came to a stop before two large wooden doors. On these doors were carvings of graceful swans in mid-flight, at least that was what Heero had interpreted them to be. Jewels were scattered about the edges of the carvings and both doors were a deep blue with a gold trim. "Your mouth's open." Knight gently reached over to push up on Heero's chin, but his hand was slapped viciously away.

"Don't." Heero was glaring at Knight as he slowly put space between them. Tsuzuki had been the only one that could touch him without permission, and that had been only because he had been in love with him; however, this man who looked so much like Tsuzuki, was _not_ going to be allowed those same liberties, even if he did cause strange sensations within Heero's heart.

Knight was startled to see that same fiery indignation light up Heero's eyes. He had been told by Fayte that there was a possibility that he would no longer be the same man he was before, but Knight had not expected to see bursts of the old personality. He back away from Heero, and tried to hide his surprise behind a small smile. "Sorry." Heero watched closely as a soft purple glow began to spread around Knight's hands, with a soft grunt the heavy doors began to swing slowly open. With a sweeping bow, Knight extended his arm toward the opening. "After you."

"Th-thanks." Heero entered the room cautiously, worried about what lay beyond the doorway. He found the room to be a bit small, but was rounded and filled with colorful cascades of silks, which were draped from the vaulted ceiling. He decided quietly that it reminded him of a circus tent.

Heero's eyes narrowed as his gaze swept the room, but could find no trace of the priestess. He started to think that she was going to poof into the room and scare him senseless just like Knight had. "It's been a long while, Lord Eiichi." The soft voice startled Heero as the layers of silk slowly moved to the side to reveal a beautiful woman sitting upon an ornate throne. He watched completely mesmerized as she began to walk toward him. Somehow, he felt as if he knew her from somewhere, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't remember where. When she came to a stop before him, Heero noted that she looked to be more of a young teenager than a woman, and she wasn't as quite as beautiful as she had appeared from far away. Just as this thought popped into his head, the young woman's eyes narrowed and her bottom lip stuck out slightly. 

"Mind what you think, Ei-pi ... she can read your mind." Knight's breath tickled Heero's ear as he whispered his gentle warning.

Heero's head whipped around and he stared blankly at Knight, who had a small smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Huh? She -- can ..."

"I can read your mind. I don't mind if you don't find me attractive, but please don't say that I was more attractive at a greater distance," she chastized gently as her face twisted in a small pout. "So, it's as we feared. You don't remember anything ... do you?"

Heero stared into the priestess's deep aqua eyes, trying to glean a bit of hope that this was all just a joke, or a dream. He could feel the panic starting to rise within him, and all he could think of was that he wanted to leave that world immediately! Worried, Knight moved closer to him, not knowing that his simple movement calmed Heero. "What am I supposed to remember?"

"Knight ..." Fayte rested her hands on her hips and took on the look of an angry mother. Knight decided that maybe he should back away out of her reach, she could be quite violent when the mood struck her. He wasn't certain as to why she was upset with him, but it was better to be safe than in pain. "You didn't explain anything to him ... did you?"

"Huh? You told me that you were going to! Fayte ... don't do this to me." The priestess stalked Knight, who was quickly trying to cower behind some of the silk; however, his feet became entangled and he fell backwards pulling down the cloth with him.

Fayte leaned over him, her anger radiating from her small body. "Duo! Why do you always behave this way? It's not _my_ fault! I told you ... didn't I?" As she struck a thoughtful pose, Shiro, who had been trying to hide his chuckles, quickly ran to her side.

"M'lady! You mustn't!" The priestess turned a puzzled face to Shiro, who noted that she seemed to have not realized that she had called Knight by his given name, which was forbidden by their covenant.

"What is it Shiro?"

"Remember to keep your temper in check ... that's all. Knight's just being himself -- I'm sure he explained things to Lord Eiichi. Right?" Knight fought with all his strength to stand without falling back to the hard stone floor. He looked helplessly at his two friends, completely exasperated with Fayte's typical absent-minded nature.

"He passed out before I could say anything to him ... I was then told to bring him here so that you could explain everything to him ... m'lady." Knight's bow was a bit unsteady since his feet were still ensnared by the silk. To hide her smile over Knight's ungraceful bow, Fayte calmly turned to Heero.

"So, I suppose you need to know about where you are and why?"

"That would be nice, m'lady." Heero bowed his head slightly causing a spread of soft chuckles and giggles from the other three. When he raised his head, he found their eyes all sparkling at him. He wasn't very fond of being the center of attention, and having three sets of eyes analyzing him, made him feel uncomfortable. To hide his embarrassment, he began to fidget with his hands.

Fayte couldn't help but notice the odd behavior from Heero, but she chose to ignore it since it was to be expected. "Knight, go to the records room and have them pull several histories from the shelves so that Lord Eiichi may read them." Finally untangling his foot, Knight managed a deep bow before leaving the small room. 

"L-l-l-lord! Huh?"

There was a soft laugh in Fayte's voice as she spoke, which caused Heero to grow even more puzzled at the situation in which he found himself. "Yes, you are a lord in this world. That is a very high ranking ... as I believe it was at one point in the other world as well?"

"Y-yes, m'lady." Heero made a frown, this world truly made little sense to him. While he and the priestess had been speaking, the young boy named Shiro had moved closer to him and his face was growing ever nearer to his own. "D-do you mind?" Heero started to move away, but lost his balance and fell in an undignified manner upon the floor. Grinning, Shiro squatted down and placed his face inches away from Heero's, who tried to scoot away but was followed by him. No matter where he went, Shiro was right there as close as possible. Finally, the priestess's giggles put a stop to the two men's game of chase.

"Shiro ... please leave the poor lord alone. Surely he's had a tiring day." She extended a hand to Heero, who noted the strange markings which wrapped around her wrists. They were a slightly darker flesh tone than her own, and formed a very intricate pattern. "All members of the high house have these. You do as well ... they're just hidden because your memory problems are masking your magic."

"I'm not aware of any memory problems. I feel fine ... in fact I can remember everything perfectly clear." Heero's bottom lip protruded in a pout causing a bright grin to form on the priestess's soft oval face. Her eyes sparkled at Heero as she helped him to his feet. "I don't have any memory problems," he stated emphatically, but she seemed to not care, as she just continued to smile at him.

"Follow me, I'll take you to the study where you can read the texts which Knight is bringing for you." Heero found it odd that this man, Knight, had two different names, and only one seemed to be allowed to be spoken. 

He felt a bit more relaxed around the priestess, so he didn't hesitate with his curiosity the way he had around Knight. "Why is Knight's _other_ name forbidden?" His words caused a brief pause in the priestess's steps, and when she began moving again, she refused to meet Heero's eyes.

"It's best explained later ... perhaps once we've reached the study. There are too many ears which might overhear me in this hallway." There was no one else in sight, so what did she mean by ears? There was no one else around them that could hear anything they may say. Instead of straining his mind with unanswered questions, Heero decided to think about how long it would be before he woke himself up from this bizarre dream which he was having.

After walking for a short space of time, they arrived at the study, and Heero was surprised to see that it was not as flamboyantly decorated as the rest of the rooms. Soft greens and browns filled the room, with leather seemingly the upholstery of choice. Heero's eyes scanned the room, taking in the multitude of art pieces which nearly completely covered the walls. When his eyes reached Knight, he froze in his tracks. Knight had one hand on his hip and the other was braced on the table's surface. Sunlight was filtering in through the large stained glass window causing a collage of colors to highlight his long wavy hair, suddenly, Heero found his mouth growing dry as he gazed at the other man. It was amazing how much he looked like Tsuzuki, yet, he was unable to remember a time when Tsuzuki had ever had this affect on him. "You look awestruck. Is this shabby room that unbelievable?" His smile was brighter than the sunlight filling the room. Heero shook his head to clear it and promptly lowered his face so that Knight couldn't see the blush which was quickly marching across his cheeks. It was true that he looked like Tsuzuki, but there were at least a few differences helping Heero to keep them separate in his mind.

The priestess laid her hand on Heero's elbow causing him to jump slightly. "Please," she led him to a large chair at the head of the table. There he found several stacks of large books cluttering the table top before him, and as he gazed at the books, the thought that he may not be able to read their language flitted through his mind. He then realized that he had been conversing with people who said they were from a different world, yet they spoke the same language as him.

"Um ... I have some questions before I start reading." Heero glanced around, and noted that they all seemed to have their attention focused on everything he said and did. 

Fayte clapped her hands together as she remembered her promise. "Oh yes! The names. That seemed to have slipped my mind." The priestess laughed uneasily and then began to rummage through the stacks of books. "Ah, here it is!" She pulled out a small book with a simple leather binding. "This is a print of the covenant which we follow. You see ... we were chosen for our special abilities. We're different from everyone else in this world ... so therefor, we cannot use our normal names. It's _his_ rule." 

"'_His_?'"

"_Him_, our King so to speak. He's an elected official, but ... he's been in power now for over thirty years." Knight's quiet snort caused a look of alarm to dance across Fayte's face. "Knight?"

"Nothing ... I just don't much care for some of the things he says -- that's all." The priestess turned her large aqua eyes up to his.

"Please don't say that again ... if you're overheard by the militia ..." Knight rested his hand on her small shoulder and smiled down at her. She always managed to make such a small thing seem world-ending. 

"Nothing's going to happen, I'll be fine. Don't worry." Heero was touched by the realization that these three seemed to be kind and caring people. He took note that maybe his worrying was pointless, they seemed to want to help and take care of him. Knight grinned at Heero, bringing forth yet another blush. "Look, Ei-pi ... if you need anymore help, I'm going to stay with you ... these two need to get back to their jobs."

"If you need anything, Lord Eiichi ... you know where I am now." Heero gazed after the priestess, amazed that she seemed to almost float out of the room, the long white strips of the feather light fabric from her gown billowing softly behind her.

Heero's attention shifted as Shiro lifted himself onto the table and sat with his legs dangling over the edge. His smile was impish as he gazed at Heero. "Is it okay if I stay, Knight?" At that moment, Heero decided that Shiro looked and seemed to act like a cat, it was no wonder his name was _White Cat_. He heard Knight sigh loudly, so he glanced in his direction. Knight's expression was almost brotherly, and to Heero it seemed as if that was how he felt about Shiro.

"Sure, why not ... but don't blame me if you get in trouble for not working." Shiro's response was a quiet noise that sounded like trouble to Heero. Despite the fact that Knight seemed to care for this boy, he still wasn't sure that he could be completely trusted. "So, what do you need to know?"

Heero looked at all the different books, and amongst the piles he found an atlas. He was surprised to find that the writing on the books was in fact Japanese, this puzzled him only slightly until he opened the atlas to see a map of Earth staring back at him. "Wait ... this makes no sense," Knight had to strain to hear the soft mumble.

"What do you mean? This is Earth ... our home world." Shiro bounced off the table and ran over to stand next to Heero. With his small hand, he pointed down to the small island off the coast of Asia. "See ... that's where we are now. Japan." Heero slowly turned to stare at the young boy, his mind was beginning to feel fragile again. 

"That's where I _was_. This is _not_ Japan ... nor is it Earth! I mean, everyone dresses strangely, I've never seen this castle before ..." Heero's voice was taking on a slightly panicked note as looked from Knight to Shiro and back again.

Knight sighed, the strain of having to deal with a confused Heero was starting to wear on him. He leaned over closer and pointed out areas of the map, all of which Heero was able to correctly name. "The Earth you're from is a different one than this one, Ei-pi. I know it's hard to understand, but tomorrow when we go outside -- you'll realize that they're different."

Heero tried not to think of how close the two of them were at that moment, or how good Knight smelt; instead he tried to focus on the matter at hand, which was the fact that he seemed to be in a parallel world. "So you're saying that this is Earth, but not the one I grew up on?"

"Well ..." Knight began to chew slightly on his upper lip as he thought of a good way to put his explanation. He didn't want to upset Heero anymore than he already was, but it didn't seem like there was any simple way of telling him the truth. "You did grow up here, but at the same time you grew up there too."

Heero forgot entirely about the closeness and glared at Knight, this man was absolutely infuriating! "I grew up in Tokyo's outskirts. This large castle thing that we are in right now ... _was not there_! I don't know what you're talking about!"

"It's his memories." Shiro's soft and gentle voice broke through Heero's rants. The other two men stared at him as he calmly thumbed through one of the texts. "_He_ said that they would return slowly, but I don't know if I can stand this confused nerdy Eiichi."

Heero's eyes narrowed into slits as he glared at Shiro "Look, Ei-pi ... this is going to take a while for everything to come back to you. Just accept it the way it is, and read this book." Knight handed him a rather large and worn text which was titled, _World's History_. Heero found the title to be lacking in originality, and the inside seemed just as dull. "You probably would like to sleep a bit more -- or are you hungry?" As if on cue, Knight's stomach made a loud gurgling noise, causing Heero to grin. Other than his looks, this was the first true thing that had reminded him of Tsuzuki.

"Food does sound good."

Knight ran happily to the door. "Shiro, would you take Ei-pi to his room ... I'll bring the food up there shortly." With those words, the door creaked open and then slammed shut. Shiro walked up to Heero, his eyes narrowing as he gazed at the other man. Heero had the distinct impression that he wasn't very well liked by this kid, although he couldn't think of anything that he could have done to him.

He noted the sadness within Shiro's soft voice as he spoke. "I suppose you don't know where your room is ... do you?"

"N-no. Will you show me, as Knight asked?"

"I suppose I must. Follow me." Shiro led the way in silence to the same room in which he had awakened earlier. "So, this is your room ... I've got work to do. If you'll excuse me." He gave Heero a curt bow, and then began to take his leave rather quickly.

"W-wait. I have a question."

Shiro stopped and without turning, snorted softly out of annoyance at being detained by Heero. "What is it?" 

"Why do you seem to dislike me?"

"It's not that I dislike you. I just had hoped that Knight wouldn't be able to find you ... that was all."

Heero sat on the edge of his bed, his eyes focused on the Shiro's straight back. "Why not?" 

"Because! You --" Shiro began to rub at his eyes, causing Heero to wonder what was wrong, but he was never given the opportunity to ask. "I can't speak of this anymore ... once you regain your memories it'll be bad. If you'll excuse me now." The boy puzzled him, he just didn't make any sense at all, but then again, if this were all a dream, then not making sense would make sense. Yet, Heero couldn't help but think that surely his mind could come up with some more original ideas for history book titles. He chuckled as he tossed the book onto the bed beside him. "This definitely has to be a dream." He began to stretch and noticed a soft rattling behind him. As he turned, the large window exploded with a bright flash of light, scattering shards across the room. Heero raised his arms to protect his face, and received painful cuts and scratches on his cheeks and forearms. When he lowered his arms, he noticed that a man was now standing before the window. He felt lightheaded for the millionth time that day, and the stinging in his arms told him that he was not asleep, because no dream he had ever experienced had been this realistic.

"Yuy! I'm glad to see that you are well ... now prepare to meet the fate of those who are on the path of evil!"

"Wu -- Fei?" Heero stared at his high school friend, his mouth hanging slightly open in puzzlement. He may have looked a bit different, but it was still WuFei. Cautiously, he took a step toward his old friend, but stopped as that same weird light which had burst the window began to glow around WuFei. "What's ... going on?"

There was a broad smirk on WuFei's face as he spoke, and a sneer of hatred in his voice. "I told you ... prepare yourself -- _Lord Eiichi_. These are your last few breaths."

-----

(1) Heero's name in this _other_ Earth literally means, The eternal one, the hero. (Thanks goes to my friend Anya who brainstormed with me to give him this name)  
Knight Duo  
Fayte (aka the priestess) Honor this is my original character that I like to place in all my stories ... as in Dragonfly she will have an important role in this story   
Jester Solo (I can't recall a true description of him ... so I made one up)  
Shironeko (which literally means white cat) Quatre 

_Gundam Wing belongs to Hajime Yadate, Yoshiyuki Tomino, and Bandai_


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's Notes_: I realize that this story is ... odd. Um, I'm still feeling my way into it, and it's definitely a work in progress. My notes don't extend much past the next few chapters -- so please bare with me, and hopefully this will turn into a good story. ;  
Also, I am seriously considering participating in the novella challenge this year. At the present I'm not certain how this will affect my release, if it will at all. So if they slow down again ... you'll know why. :)

Warnings: Language, slight out-of-characterness  
Chapter Status: COMPLETE

As before the names are still different, but I've started switching back and forth between them, there is a plot point for this ... so bare with me

_Character Names:_  
Eiichi -- Heero, Knight -- Duo, Shironeko -- Quatre, Nanashi -- Trowa, Fayte -- Honor (an OC), Lion -- Treize, Hawk -- Zechs, and Rose -- Une

-----

Knight had known something was wrong, but he tried to ignore that feeling as he headed down the vast flights of stairs which lead to the kitchen. He stopped for what seemed like the millionth time and gazed back up in the direction of Heero's room. "I'm being paranoid." With a swift shake of his head, he began his decent once again. However, the distant sound of breaking glass made his heart skip a beat. "Heero ..." Knight turned and began running as fast as he could up the stairs.

Heero stared wide-eyed at the man whom he had called '_friend_' in the other world. Why was he threatening him? "WuFei ... I don't -- I don't understand. Why do you want to hurt me?"

WuFei's cynical laugh filled the room and caused his already frantically beating heart to beat a bit faster. "Why! Don't be so coy ... _Lord_ Eiichi." Heero scrambled to his feet and backed up until his back brushed the stone and wood wall of his room. He looked around the room trying to find some way to escape, but found none. It appeared that he was stuck.

"I honestly don't know why you're so angry with me. Please ... please stop." He was desperately trying not to cry, but the tears were quickly escaping his dark blue eyes. The tears surprised WuFei, who lowered his guard a bit. "Please ..."

"You're -- begging? You never begged before! What kind of game is this, Yuy?" The glow which had subsided grew once again, more intense than before. He pulled his arm back and was prepared to punch Heero, but before he could land it, he was flung across the room. WuFei crashed into the armoire and with a sickening thud slammed his head against the wall. He could see through his dazed vision that Heero was walking slowly toward him, his left hand raised and white light dancing around his fingers. His eyes had changed, they were harsher now, more like they had been before the incident.

"I never beg. You were banished, why are you here? Revenge?" In those few moments, Heero had turned into his old self, he had become Eiichi. WuFei could see that now, and this made him even more convinced that the man had been tricking him. "Get out, before I kill you." As the door flew open, Heero turned his sharp eyes to glare at the intruder, and WuFei prayed that whoever it was could save him.

Knight looked at the room, and was surprised by the look in Heero's eyes. "What's going on?" The gleam in his eyes was unnatural, it was frightening.

"Knight, who let this trader inside?"

"Ei-pi?" Heero's response was a hateful glare making Knight's heart ache. This wasn't his Ei-pi, and it most definitely wasn't his Heero. "Eiichi, I'll get the guards."

Heero turned away from Knight as if he was disgusted with the sight of him. "_You're_ a guard ... idiot." Knight's eye twitched slightly, and he moved over to WuFei.

"Up." WuFei tried several times to stand, but each time he fell back onto the broken bits of wood. With an agitated sigh, Knight helped the man up, and escorted him down to the dungeon. He never saw that Heero had collapsed onto the floor.

-----

"What's the big fuss?" Shiro turned his large deep green-blue eyes to Knight, he had heard the glass and Knight's scream for help.

Knight busied himself with securing WuFei's cell instead of answering Shiro. He didn't really want to talk about how he had overreacted when he ran for the guards, and he especially didn't want to mention his reaction when he had found Heero passed out in the floor. His breath had stopped short in his throat as he gazed in horror at the limp body. He had lost him once, and he didn't want to lose him again.

"Never mind. I understand how painful this is for you." Shiro turned his head toward the now quiet WuFei, the man who could answer a very important question. Silently, Knight rested his hand on the older man's shoulder. "I'm okay. You don't need to worry about me." His smile may have been bright, but Shiro's eyes told a different story. He was in as much pain as Knight, but for a different reason. "I'll go check on Lord Eiichi. You probably should report to Lion."

Knight resisted the urge to tell Shiro that he would check on Heero instead. This was all so difficult for him, especially since it had only been six months since the last time they had seen one another. That same painful twinge shot through his chest as the memories flashed before his mind. It had been so unfair, and to force him to leave, that had been unforgivable in Knight's, no, Duo's mind. "I made this mess, now I have to live with it."

"Sir?" One of the guards was standing near him with a questioning look upon his oval face. Knight smiled and bowed his head slightly.

"I was just talking to myself. Excuse me." The guard watched Knight exit the dungeon then turned to Shiro.

"Let him be." Shiro changed his attention from the baffled guard to WuFei, the man who held the answers to his many questions. His mind raced trying to come up with a good reason to excuse the guards, but nothing came to him. Heart heavy and head burning with the desire of knowledge, he turned to leave the prisoner.

Heero was resting comfortably upon his lush bed coverings. There was a peaceful look upon his face, and Shiro found himself envying the man. He didn't remember the horror that had happened before he had left, in fact he couldn't remember his past as Eiichi, Lord of Edo. Cast out by the only man above him, the man known as Lion. His true name was Treize Kushirenada, and he hailed from the western world of Europe. Heero was more powerful than Treize, but because of his position beneath him, Heero had not put up much of a fight. Shiro had always suspected that his lack of resistance had something to do with Duo, but he wasn't certain that Duo knew that. "Ah, Shiro." Fayte glided into the room carrying a tray with cold water and a linen cloth. "How is he?"

"Still asleep. I think maybe we should send him back ..." Fayte stared at her friend, stunned that he should suggest such a thing. They needed Eiichi, but it was true that in his current state he was of no help to them.

"Did Knight tell you what happened?" Shiro shook his head as he rung out the cloth to place it upon Heero's head. "I wonder why."

"I'm not sure. He had gone to get food for the two of them, that's when all this happened." Heero's brow scrunched up and he raised his hand to Shiro's, pushing away the cloth. He rolled away from the cold wetness and curled up in a tight ball. "Honor ..." Shiro's voice was low and soft, just barely a whisper. He was risking much calling her by her real name, but this was not a topic for Fayte or Shironeko.

Honor's bright aquamarine eyes locked with the soft green-blue of Quatre's. Neither one needed to say anything, they both knew what they were thinking. They were all prisoners, working for a man whom frightened them. "Quatre ..."

"WuFei's downstairs ... all I have to do is talk with him. I'm sure he'll --"

"Laugh at you? I want him to be alive as much as you, but we can't keep up our hopes." Honor looked away from Quatre, she couldn't bare to see the pain in her childhood friend's eyes. Although she had yet to be in love and have it reciprocated, she had seen in those around her how powerful the emotion was, and how quickly one's heart could be injured by those closest.

Quatre's voice was still soft, yet the conviction within that gentle tone was clear as crystal. "I _know_ he's still alive." There was no doubt within him that Trowa was still breathing somewhere. He could still feel him inside his heart, and within his soul. "I know that Duo felt the same way when Heero was sent away."

"I'm not entirely certain whether he would admit that or not. He was so angry when Heero --" The sound of the door creaking open forced an end to the conversation. Honor turned her head to find Rose standing with her arms crossed. Rose was one of the two council to Lion. Like Lion, she came from the west and had a very unpredictable personality. "M'lady." Fayte curtsied quickly. She always felt uncomfortable around Rose, simply because she was never certain how the woman would react. She liked a bit of predictability in people. 

Rose inclined her head in acknowledgment to Fayte's small salutation. "Shironeko ... don't you have work that needs tending?"

Quatre gave a veiled glance in Honor's direction, letting her know they would continue their conversation later. He prayed silently that Rose had not overheard what had been said between them. "Yes, m'lady." With a quiet click the door closed behind Shiro as he left.

Fayte could feel the heat of worry rising in her cheeks and she wondered if Rose could see it. "Did you need something, m'lady?"

"I wanted to see Lord Eiichi." She gave an expectant look to Fayte, but it was lost on her. Rose then cleared her throat trying to convey the fact that she wanted to be alone with Eiichi. However, when Fayte remained by his beside, she held her head as if a headache was approaching. "Oh for heaven's sake girl! Leave!"

"I-I'm so sorry, m'lady. I-I didn't know." Fayte quickly collected the water basin and the cloth then ran out the door.

Rose approached the bed and gazed at the man who had been banished. She was surprised to find him lacking any signs of the man he once was. At twenty-six, he should have appeared much older, but he still looked quite young and naive. It was as if Eiichi had completely vanished and left behind a shell of his former self. "I wonder if you'll regain your memories soon. It'll be interesting to see the reaction on Duo's face." She smiled at the thought. "I hope this time, things go a bit differently ..."

-----

Knight knelt on one knee before Lion's throne. "Rise." Lion gazed down at his subordinate with a wry smirk plastered upon his impeccably perfect face. He was a smooth talker, and on the occasion could govern quite well; however, Duo had never fully trusted the man, even after he had been the one who had saved his life. "So, I heard that Lord Eiichi has returned."

"Yes, m'lord."

Lion chuckled at Knight's curt response. "Funny, you normally can't stop talking. Why so quiet?"

"No reason, sir. I thought that I was only to answer your questions." He longed to scream that it was because he didn't like nor trust him, but he held his tongue. Being dead wouldn't be of much help to his friends.

"Ah. Fine then, I'll ask you how you feel about being the one to bring him back." Duo's eyes narrowed. How dare he ask him a question like that! There was no simple answer, and none that he would be satisfied with. It was obvious that he was being baited.

"I volunteered."

Lion shifted slightly in his large throne. The smile on his face looked like that of a sly fox moving in for the kill. "Yes, I know. But I really want to know what you felt when you saw him again."

"I left as a soldier under your command and returned with my target. I had no personal feelings in this matter." Lion noted the slight twitching of Knight's right eye, he was lying.

"Come now ... I know that you must have still had some sort of feelings wrapped up in this. The two of you were after all --"

"As I told you, m'lord -- I had _no_ personal feelings in this matter. I don't really see why my feelings are important. I was sent to retrieve Lord Eiichi, and I have. He is in his room as we speak, awaiting your guiding hand to help his memories and power return." Knight's ire was rising, which was exactly what Lion was wanting. He wanted to see that bright spirit locked within, the spirit of Duo's natural defiance.

"Fine ... I'll move on. I wonder though, if you could have stayed there with him -- would you?" 

Duo balled his hands into angry fists trying to quell the anger within him. "I fail to see the point of this." Lion stood slowly and slinked down the few steps which were between him and Duo. He raised his hand up and brushed a stray hair from the other's face.

"My dear sweet little Knight. Are you saying that you have memory problems as well? Just like your ex-lover?" Duo pulled away from his antagonizer and glared to hide the pain filling his being. This was why he hadn't wanted to see Lion, the fact that ever since he and Heero had been caught together, this man continually ridiculed him for having a physical relationship with another man. "Well, that's water under the bridge ... so to speak." Duo wanted to punch him until he could no longer smile that sarcastic smile.

"If you say so, m'lord." It was hard for him to speak without exploding with rage, but somehow Duo managed to retain Knight's cool facade. "If we're through now, I was wondering if I might be excused?"

"Yes, yes. I'll go and check on our little Lord Eiichi. As you said, I must start retraining him." Knight bowed shallowly, and then turned on his heel to leave. He wanted to run up to Heero's room and kidnap him, but that would be a foolhardy move. Lion would know who did it, and Duo would lose his life because of it. He couldn't die knowing that Heero was being used by that man.

-----

Heero smiled as a warm hand rested gently on his forehead. "Tsuzuki?" His voice was heavy with sleep, and it was proving difficult to open his eyes. "Why can't I see anything?" 

"Well, if you would open your eyes ... you might actually be able to see." Heero's forehead scrunched in confusion. That wasn't Tsuzuki's voice, but it did cause a gentle stirring deep within him that he couldn't explain. The voice sighed, obviously a bit frustrated with his grogginess.

"Who are you?"

"Duo ..." Warm lips brushed his cheek and he felt the bed sink beside him as a strong body positioned itself next to his.

Heero slowly tested the name on his heavy tongue. "Duo." For some reason saying that name brought forth a comforting sensation. He wove his strong fingers through the long lean ones of the man beside him. 

"WuFei didn't hurt you, did he?" Heero could feel the tingle of hot breath against his neck and he stretched so that the sensation would hit more of his sensitive skin.

"No. But I think I seriously hurt him ... is he okay?" Again those warm lips slid lightly against the pulsing spot on his neck where his heartbeat was the strongest. This '_Duo_' was having a profound, yet familiar affect on him, and he was at a loss as to why.

Arms slowly moved around Heero's body and held him tightly. He didn't want him to let go, he felt terrified that if he did, then this person would be gone forever. "He'll be fine. I'm more worried about you." Slowly, Heero's eyes opened to find Knight curled up against him, a worried light shining in his indigo eyes.

"Knight?" The smile which met Heero's small query tore at his heart. It wasn't obviously sad, but the veil which dropped over his eyes told him that Knight was pulling away from him. He wanted to reach out and stop him from leaving his side, but Knight rose slowly to his feet and picked up his coat.

"Sorry. I was just worried about you ... it's midnight, so I think you should go ahead and get some rest."

Heero stared at the other man's back, wondering why it was that he wanted to cling to it so badly. "But -- I've been sleeping for awhile now, right?"

"Yeah." His voice was so sad and distant. Duo squeezed his eyes closed trying to force the tears which burned the corners of his eyes away. He knew that he shouldn't have come to check on Heero by himself or this late at night, but loneliness had won over common sense. "If you want, you can go to the library and read. I'll be in my room if you need anything. It's up the flight of stairs next to this room." 

Heero watched as Knight left. An image of that same back facing him flashed through his mind. It brought with it feelings of hatred and betrayal. He shook his head out of confusion, trying to clear his mind of the image and emotions. Not feeling terribly sleepy, he decided to take Knight's advice and go to the library to read up on the strange new world.

------

Duo slowly closed the door behind him and gazed into his darkened room. "I'm an idiot." He choked back the burning lump that was forming in his throat, hoping that he could will away the emotions which were still raw and tender. The longer he stood there trying to reign in his feelings, the angrier he became. "Dammit!" He hurled his coat viciously across the room. "Shit!" His voice cracked as he stalked over to his bed and grabbed the post tightly causing his knuckles to turn white. Slowly, he crumpled down to the floor unable to hold the sobs at bay any longer. He yanked on the rich down comforter and buried his face within its softness. "I was over you! I was ..." His heart was hurting so much that Duo thought that it would give out at any moment, if it did then he would be grateful for he wouldn't have to feel the pain of loss any more. "Heero ..." His anguished whisper died into another fit of sobbing as he curled up in the floor, the comforter wrapped around him like a cocoon.

-----

Shiro sat across from WuFei's cell. He had specifically asked to keep watch that night, since there needed to be a magic-user near a prisoner such as this. The cell had been set up to prevent any chance of WuFei using his magic, but there was always a risk, for he had escaped once before. That had been when it had happened. Trowa had led one of the groups sent out to search for the escapee, and they had found him; however, there had been a fight, and he had never returned. The few guards who made it back, had stated that Nanashi had been killed; although, Quatre had never believed them. He could remember all the counseling which Lion had insisted upon, trying to get him to see reality. However, no amount of trickery would stop that certainty which resided within his heart that Trowa was still alive.

It had been over two years now since that fateful night, and Quatre finally had his opportunity to question the man who had no ties to Lion. The man who could hopefully put an end to the debate. Yet, WuFei refused to meet Quatre's gaze. "I'm a bit thirsty ... would you mind fetching me some water?" The lone guard smiled and left the dungeon. They were finally alone. "WuFei, I have something to ask you." His reply was a snort. Quatre had thought that the country's number one enemy terrorist would respond in such a manner, but he was not about to give up. "It's about Trowa."

"I don't know a Trowa." WuFei's behavior was borderline hostile which sparked a bit of anger within Quatre. He had hoped that when Nanashi's real name was spoken, WuFei would respond.

"You do. Here his name was Nanashi But his true name was Trowa." WuFei turned his gaze to the side wall of his cell. He adjusted his arms slightly, tired of wearing the heavy cuffs. "Please ... don't make me beg."

"Why do you want to know so badly?"

"Be-because I ... love him." WuFei finally turned his dark eyes to Quatre. He stared at the blonde boy who looked no more than fourteen.

"Funny -- he had said there was one whom he loved, but he was in his mid-twenties. You look too young." Quatre slowly rose and then closed his eyes. He mumbled something and then a light glow surrounded him. WuFei was surprised to see the boy grow into a full grown man, and he was even more surprised by the amount of magical power which he could sense from Quatre.

"I am that one." He was a very beautiful man of roughly six feet tall, his wavy blonde hair shaggy and falling slightly in his eyes. There was a delicate air about his build, but WuFei knew that was deceitful. The man was very strong.

"I see. So you hide your true power level by adjusting your age ... this is the first time I've actually see a child of Oz capable of doing that." Quatre's smile was humorless as he moved closer to the cell.

"Will you tell me now? Please ... my name is Quatre -- did he ever speak of me?"

WuFei's face lit up in surprise. "Had I known your name in the first place, I would have told you ... I suggest unless you want your guards rushing down here to see why there's a spike of magical energy, that you revert to your other form." Quatre nodded and quickly changed back into his younger self. "Now what was it that you needed to know?"

"Is he alive?" Quatre's stomach began to churn slightly with anticipation. It wasn't until that moment that he doubted his heart.

"I -- haven't seen him in a year and a half. I'm sorry." Quatre's heart sunk. He should have expected something like this, but he hadn't said that Trowa was dead, just that he hadn't seen him. "If I knew where he was, I would tell you."

"It's alright. When you last saw him, was he well?" WuFei's sly smile was enough to tell Quatre that Trowa had been in excellent health. Finally his heart was more at ease. "Thank you."

"Are you reading my mind?" 

"No ... you would know it if I were. Since you also have the gift. Although, I'm surprised that you're not going to try and bribe me with the promise of seeing Trowa."

"I have more pride than that. If I want out ... I'll get out myself." Something in his voice sent chills down Quatre's spine. This man was a definite mystery, and one that needed to be watched over carefully.

-----

Heero opened a large text which simply had the inscription of Oz on its binding. He was curious as to what it pertained to, and why the others wanted him to read it. The introductory paragraph answered his question.

_The children of Oz, those who are capable of wielding powers beyond that of a normal person._ "Oz?" Heero chuckled softly, the name reminded him of his favorite childhood movie. _When these people began to emerge in society, they were seen as devils, witches, demons. They went against everything which standard religion had taught; however, they were the ones whom the world turned to in a time of war._

After several generations passed, these wielders of power became respected, and were given high positions in the world government. The people now look to the children of Oz for guidance and leadership. This history is about how they rose to such a high and respectable position in society.

Heero sat there for hours reading the large tome discovering that these people had been through horrible trials and tribulations in order to arrive where they were at that moment. He had been told that he was one of these people, but he couldn't remember anything other than his normal boring life on Earth. The markings on his arms were still invisible, and he didn't feel as if he had any kind of special power. In truth, he was starting to think again that this was all some sort of nightmare from which he couldn't awaken.

The book closed with a soft thump, his eyes were burning and they kept threatening to close. Heero tried to focus on the room, but his vision was too blurred. He stretched his tired and stiff muscles then stood, only to fall backwards into his seat once more. "Guess I'll just sleep here." With one last look at the room, heavy lids lowered slowly over his dark blue eyes. His last conscious thought was that he would be stiff when he awakened later. 

It had been several hours since Heero had fallen asleep, and Duo was amused to see a small trail of drool running from the corner of his open mouth. He carefully wrapped one arm around the other's shoulders, and then another beneath Heero's legs. With a huff, the sleeping Heero was lifted into warm arms and carried to his bed. 

Duo gently pulled the covers up to Heero's chin, and brushed his hair away from his eyes. Against his better judgment, his finger began to trace the contours of that face which haunted his dreams. "If I said I wanted to be with you ... what would you say?" Heero groaned softly and shifted closer to the warm hand caressing his cheek. Pain grasped at Duo's heart, telling him that it was only hurting him more being this close to what he can never have again. "'night, Heero." He quietly closed the door behind him and turned to find Fayte staring up at him. "I was just ... Hee -- Eiichi fell asleep in the library. I put in him in his bed." The accusing look in her eyes was fleeting, but caused Duo to worry nevertheless.

"Oh, well ... I was just on my way to wake you." Fayte tried to find somewhere to focus her eyes other than the rich purple-blue of Knight's. "We've been summoned by Lion."

"Really?" Duo rested his hand on Honor's shoulder, and gave her a gentle push in the direction of Lion's quarters. "Then let's go see him and get it over with." 

"Knight, I think that it has something to do with --" 

"With me and Eiichi? I wouldn't be the least bit surprised. He probably wants to humiliate me before his breakfast. Sort of like an appetizer." Honor hung her head not knowing whether or not she should tell him exactly why Lion had summoned _both_ of them. It was highly unusual for Fayte to leave her area of the castle, but this was an important matter or so she had been told. 

Shyly, Honor raised her eyes up to Duo's face and stared at him for a few moments. She had always had a crush on him, which had slowly developed into more, but she knew that his heart was Heero's. Lion's intentions were going to hurt him, and she wasn't sure what to do about it. "Duo,"

"Shh. You'll be heard." Honor stopped and waited for Duo to face her. She was going to have to say something. "What?"

"He -- he wants us to ..." Duo moved closer to her and placed a gentle finger under her quivering chin. He pushed her face upward so he could see into her eyes. They had grown up together and knew everything about each other. She had even been his first kiss, but shortly thereafter, he had discovered that he liked boys over girls. After his realization, Honor had become the sister he had never had, and he hated to see her so upset.

"What?" The sound of Duo's gentle voice caused Honor to burst into tears. She clung desperately to his shirt and waited for the overwhelming sobbing to subside. Duo chuckled softly as she pulled away and revealed a nasty wet spot on his crisp linen shirt.

"Don't laugh. This isn't funny, Duo. Lion wants you to marry me." Upon hearing her words, Duo's face took on a dark angry look. Honor backed away slightly, afraid of the eruption which she was certain was coming; however, he took several calming breaths and then turned in the direction of Lion's rooms. "Duo?"

"C'mon. So he's going to play a game with my emotions? Does he honestly think that by marrying me off to a _girl_ it'll cure me of my so-called unhealthy appetite for Heero?" Duo's laugh was cold and menacing. In fact his whole nature at the moment was terrifying Honor. She scurried after him, her short legs trying to keep up with his long angry strides. "I'm sick of being played with." With a shove, Duo threw open the large oak doors leading into the series of rooms which made up Lion's living quarters. "Lion!" His piercing bellow shook the whole room. Honor stopped in the doorway and watched as he stalked around the room trying to find the man in question. "Where the hell is he!" 

"He'll be here shortly ..." His assistant, Zechs or Hawk as he was known to the other Oz members, stood lazily in the doorway leading to Lion's bedchambers.

"So he summons us, and doesn't show up?" Duo was still shouting, and his face was starting to turn a deep red. Honor ran to his side and grabbed his arm. She gave him a stern look that she prayed told him to calm himself until Lion arrived. "I'm fine," he gave her hand a gentle squeeze to emphasize his whispered reassurance.

"I hope so." Honor stepped away from him, and gazed at Hawk, annoyance starting to build within her as well.

"I was sent to apologize for his lordship's tardiness, but it seems that you may already know what he has to say." His clear blue eyes focused on Honor with an accusing gleam. To her the glare she gave him should have been bone chilling, but he merely smiled at her. "If you'll both excuse me, I have some work I must attend to. Helping run a country is no easy task."

"Duo ..." Honor bounced up and down as she whined slightly from worry.

"Shh. Let me talk to him."

"Oh, that'll work," Honor rolled her eyes, completely disgusted with the situation. "Duo, you'll just get angry and then violent. I _know_ you." The light chuckle which emerged from Duo didn't help calm Honor's fears any. He was always like this, hiding how he truly felt inside, and passing everything off as a light joke. It had never really bothered her until now, when both their futures were at stake. As much as she cared for him, she wanted a husband that would love her in return, and wouldn't view sex as a chore. She knew that he would be that way, if forced to marry, and if she didn't put up some sort of protest as well, he could possibly come to resent her as well. She didn't want to lose her best friend.

Duo walked over to a chair and plopped down into it. He gazed at Honor who had her arms crossed against her chest and the look of an angry mother upon her face. "I won't. I promise. Besides, you can't talk your way out of anything. Just let me do the talking. Promise?"

Honor's lower lip jutted out slightly and after a few moments she finally acquiesced. "Fine. I'll just stand next to you."

"Good girl." He smiled at her as she walked over next to him and sat in the adjacent chair. They were kept waiting for a while before Lion finally decided to grace them with his presence.

"Ah, my two favorite people. How are you? Well, I hope." Duo closed his eyes and began to count backwards from ten, trying to calm himself. He hadn't expected his temper to flare once more when he finally came face to face with Lion. "I guess you want to hear what I have to say, no chitchat?"

"Please, we've been waiting for at least an hour for you to show up." Honor's voice was soft, and she was afraid that Duo would get mad at her for speaking. A quick glance in his direction told her that he was too busy trying to work out exactly what to say.

"Very well then." Lion procrastinated for a few moments by pouring himself a glass of wine. He then joined the others in the small circle of chairs which were laid out before a large fireplace. "I've brought both of you in here to ask something of you." His eyes met Duo's, the harsh look upon Knight's face caused him to smile. He already knew and was trying to work out a way to get around it. "I want you to marry, Knight."

"Really?" Duo had tried to keep the sarcasm from entering into his voice, but winced as he realized that it had been impossible.

"Yes. I believe you'll be quiet happy with the person whom I've chosen for you." Both Honor and Duo waited anxiously for him to state what they expected, but he instead got up and began to pace about the room.

"Well?" Duo finally questioned, his impatience getting the better of him.

Lion smiled down at the two, he always enjoyed making people squirm. "I've already arranged the wedding. It'll be held at the end of the week. My dear sweet Fayte, you should hurry and start working on your wedding gown. I'm giving you what you've always wanted ... Duo." 

_Gundam Wing belongs to Hajime Yadate, Yoshiyuki Tomino, and Bandai_


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's Notes_: Another chapter down. Enjoy! 

Warnings: Strong Language, Small Out-of-Characterness (particularly on Heero's behalf).

As before the names are still different, but I've started switching back and forth between them, there is a plot point for this ... so bare with me

_Character Names:_  
Eiichi -- Heero, Knight -- Duo, Shironeko -- Quatre, Nanashi -- Trowa, Fayte -- Honor (an OC), Jester -- Solo, Lion -- Treize, Hawk -- Zechs, and Rose -- Une

-----

"That stupid fucking bastard! He's enjoying this! I _know_ he is. That sick piece of shit." Duo slammed his fist against the wood paneling in Honor's room as she quietly shut the door behind them. He had been holding in his rage the entire trip up to her room, where they had decided to discuss what had just happened; however, it seemed that Duo was more intent upon yelling and throwing a fit than discussing anything.

"Um, Duo ..." 

"What!" He winced as he realized that he had snapped at his friend. "Sorry. What is it?"

"I think you should -- talk with Heero." Honor knew that she was trespassing on dangerous territory. The two men had not had the friendliest of partings and now she was daring to mention a reconciliation between them.

"No. You know that won't work, the man doesn't remember anything -- and besides, even if he did somehow regain his memories he'd just go back to ignoring and hating me." Duo plopped down into one of the chairs which flanked the fireplace on the far wall. His heart felt as if someone was trying to squeeze it out of his chest, and he silently cursed Heero for being the cause of the pain.

"Duo, you can't say that for certain. He did -- no does love you." Duo raised his weary indigo eyes up and smiled humorlessly.

"If you say so, Miss Optimist. But you weren't there when he left, you didn't hear what he said to me ..." Honor moved close to Duo and wrapped her arms around his shoulders trying to give him any comfort she could. She didn't like seeing him this way, and he had been in a constant state of sadness since Heero had left.

"Please, just give it a try -- see if he can remember something ... anything. Or maybe he may still love you, despite not having Eiichi's memories." He sat still for a few moments thinking about the possibilities of being given a second chance with Heero. The same risks applied as they did before, same sex love was strictly forbidden by Lion's law, but that made the prospect a bit more exciting for him.

"I'll go and see him -- to make you happy." Honor smiled brightly as she walked Duo to the door. "I'll let you know how it goes."

"Thanks, Duo." She raised up on her tiptoes and placed a quick kiss upon his cheek, and wished him luck one last time.

-----

Heero sat in the middle of the courtyard thinking about a number of different things, but mostly about his role in that world. He seemed to be someone of great importance, but no one had explained exactly how important he was. Then there was Knight, he had been acting very strangely toward him and the fact that he looked somewhat like Tsuzuki was troubling. "Ei-pi." The soft masculine voice caused an image of a strong male body writhing with passion beneath his touch. Confused, Heero shook his head trying to rid himself of the fantasy. The middle of the courtyard was nowhere to be daydreaming of such things. "Eiichi!" The voice was more insistent and louder this time. Heero slowly turned to find Knight standing behind him, his arms crossed against his chest, and a miffed look upon his face. He found himself staring at the other man, desire slowly starting to form deep within him. It wasn't that much of a surprise to him that he was attracted to Knight, after all he did look like Tsuzuki, didn't he? For a moment, Heero had trouble remembering just what Tsuzuki had looked like. As he concentrated, he realized that Tsuzuki's nose hadn't been quite so large, nor were his eyes that amazing shade of blue with a touch of indigo. "Ei-pi, are you going to stare at me all day? I have something I need to talk to you about." Heero mentally shook himself, and grinned sheepishly.

"Sorry ... what was it that you wanted?" 

"Let's take a walk." Duo glanced over his shoulder to see if anyone was watching, he knew that no matter where they went the likelihood of them being completely alone was very slim. As the two walked along the winding garden path, Heero continually stole glances of Knight. It genuinely surprised him that he hadn't seen the differences between this man and Tsuzuki before.

"What was it that you wanted to talk to me about?"

Duo stopped and waited for Heero to face him. "Heero," the sound of his name startled him. He didn't know that Knight knew his real name, but he stayed silent so that he could hear what the other was about to say. "Do you -- remember anything? About me?"

"Am I supposed to?" Duo smiled to hide the pain, but somehow Heero could tell that his answer had hurt him. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to cause you any grief ... I told you before that you kind of look like my friend Tsuzuki."

"Hmm. Yeah, you said that before. It's okay if you don't remember. There were ... things that we said before you left -- that would be better off forgotten." Duo began to pick absentmindedly at the large bush beside him. He wanted to confess all his feelings to Heero, but since he couldn't remember the past, it was pointless.

"Is that what's bothering you? What happened exactly?"

"I'd rather not share all of it ... let's just say that -- we were lo--"

"Lord Eiichi! Lord Eiichi!" Hawk came running up to the two men, and Duo felt like strangling him. He knew that Lion had been listening in on their conversation and had not wanted the truth revealed to Heero at any cost. "I'm glad I found you. Lion wishes to see you ... immediately." He grabbed onto Heero's arm and began to drag him away from Duo. Uncertain as to where he was being taken, Heero pulled away from Hawk and glared at him.

"I'll stay here until Knight is finished speaking with me." The sudden change in demeanor only phased Hawk for a second. He smirked as he realized that the true Eiichi was starting to bubble forth, and that maybe allowing a longer conversation between Knight and Eiichi wasn't such a bad thing. However, that would be against Lion's orders, so with a deep bow Hawk apologized.

"Lord Eiichi, you'll be able to speak with Knight _after_ you speak with Lion. It's his orders, and you know we must all follow his orders." Heero glared at Hawk, but resigned himself to going with him since it didn't appear that he would allow him to stay with Knight.

"Why does he want to see me?"

"Because, he hasn't had the opportunity to meet our dear lord."

"About that title ... just what am I _lord_ of?" Heero watched Hawk closely, not certain what reaction he was looking for, it seemed to be another one of those odd quirks which he had developed in the past two days. 

"All of this ... well the lands surrounding this great castle. Your family was one of wealth and power before the government was handed over to the Children of Oz. So therefor, you are technically the figure head with no power." Heero's brow knitted together, this man had just mocked him openly. Even if he was a fake lord, that didn't give anyone the right to mock him. "Lion is through these doors."

Heero breathed in deeply for a bolster of support and pushed open the same doors which Honor and Duo had been through earlier that day. He found Lion leaning nonchalantly against the mantel, an unreadable smirk plastered on his flawless face. There was an air of authority about him as well as sophistication, there was no denying that this man was the head of the covenant. "You wished to see me ... Lion?" The name felt bitter upon Heero's tongue, but he had no idea why.

"Yes, m'lord. Please, have a seat." With a touch of caution, Heero made his way to a seat near Lion. "Excellent, I just wanted to see how you were doing."

"As well as one could be given the circumstances."

"Yes, I suppose that it was a bit odd to be dragged from a place you had been living in for twenty-some years. But it had been almost ten years since you left, so I requested that you be brought back to this world."

"Why?"

Lion laughed lightly as if Heero's request was something so small and trivial. "Because you're needed. But I can't explain that right now ... now is the time for your training. You've been gone for a while now, so it's best that we try to improve not only your physical condition, but to see if your memory will return."

"So you're saying it's true then. I've got some sort of memory loss?" Lion's response was a slow and purposeful nod. He was making Heero feel uncomfortable, as if there was so much more going on than him needing help. "What kind of training will this be?" 

"Well, I'm going to leave that up to Hawk. But I will tell you this -- he's a very strict man and will not allow for any weakness. Be on guard while training because he will not hold back." Heero nodded solemnly and stood. He wanted to go back out to the courtyard and speak with Knight, but Hawk was standing in the doorway now with a smile that sent chills down Heero's spine.

"Are you ready for your first lesson, Lord Eiichi?" Heero straightened his back and he felt himself start to glare at Hawk, whose smile in turn lost a bit of its bravado. "This way, m'lord." He bowed deeply, but Heero caught a glimpse of the anger which filled his eyes before they were hidden by long strands of wheat colored hair.

-----

Knight paced back and forth, occasionally casting his gaze toward the castle doors which Heero had disappeared through. He knew that he wasn't going to be allowed to rejoin him, Lion was smarter than that, but Duo's stubbornness was far greater than that man's genius. He would wait there for a bit longer, and if he didn't see him again there would be later. It was just a matter of patience and outwitting Lion. "There you are. I've been looking all over for you." Shiro let out a small sigh as he came to a halt next to Knight.

Duo smiled at his longtime friend, and could tell that there was something on Quatre's mind by the intense look in the boy's eyes. "Hey, Shiro. What's up?"

Shiro shifted a bit uncomfortably and glanced around as if he were looking for someone. "We need to go somewhere else ... some place where we can talk as Duo and Quatre." Duo's brow furrowed in confusion, but he shrugged and followed Quatre away from the courtyard and back inside the castle.

"Quatre, I don't think there's anywhere that we can --"

"There is. Just follow me." The two men traversed winding hallways that Duo wasn't even aware existed. After walking for some time they came to a dead end.

"Um, Quatre ... where the hell are we?" Quatre turned and smirked. Without saying a word, he raised his hands, the markings on his arms began to glow a soft green. There was a bright flash of light and then a door appeared before them.

"_She_ placed this here before she left ... I just found out about it." They passed through the doorway and into a small room. "She used to come down here to try and find a way out of this hell. I thought that it would be a good place to talk."

"About what?" Quatre sat himself at the small table in the center of the room, and turned his large green-blue eyes up to Duo.

"You've got your mask on ... I know you're worried about Heero remembering, aren't you?" 

"No." Duo sighed and joined Quatre at the table. "It's not that I'm worried about that ... if he were to remember things would be a bit simpler then -- wouldn't they? He'd hate me and I'd hate him, but him not remembering makes things a bit ... more complicated."

"You feel as if you still have a chance, huh?" Duo nodded as he began to pick at his fingernails. He didn't want to discuss any of this with anyone, not even Honor his closest friend. Things had been said between himself and Heero right before his leaving. Things that he had never told anyone. "Duo ... WuFei wants me to help him escape."

"What! Quatre that's suicide!"

"I know, but -- Trowa's with him. I want to! I'd rather risk death than wait around here for Trowa to come back to me. I know that -- he left to protect me, but still ..." Quatre's voice trailed off as he lowered his face to hide the tears welling in his eyes. "If -- if Heero ... you'd go after him." 

"In a heartbeat. I did -- why do you think I was the one who volunteered?" Silence drifted between them for a few moments before Duo spoke once more. "So, why did you want to talk with me if you've already made up your mind?"

"I need your help. WuFei wants someone on the inside -- and I know how much you hate Lion and Hawk."

"Quatre, you know that Rose is watching all of us. She'll figure it out --"

"No, she won't. Honor's going to --"

"No! She is _not_! Whatever it is that you've dragged her into ... the answer's no! She can't lie to save her life, she'll be found out instantly! Do you want something to happen to her?" Quatre glanced away from Duo. He had known that this would be his reaction, but she had already answered 'yes' when he had asked earlier that day. "She's already agreed, hasn't she?"

"Yeah. I'm sorry, Duo. I am! But it's not so hard, you'll be doing all the work -- and she'll be sending the information to me, who'll pass it on to WuFei." Duo closed his eyes tightly, trying to rein in his emotions. "Duo, please ... just say you'll help a bit. That's all we need."

"Is this for that damned revolution that WuFei's been planning for years?" Quatre glanced away, which was all the answer Duo needed. "Goddammit, Quatre! You know that it'll never work! How do you think that the others died?" Duo slammed his chair against the table and began to pace back and forth. His head was beginning to pound and even though he had supported the revolution before, he was older now and knew that it was a stupid move. "Quatre, please think through this again. I'm begging you ... is Trowa worth getting everyone who remains behind killed?" 

"Duo! That's not fair, and you know it!" Quatre's eyes were filled with fury as he glared in defiance. "If the situation was reversed and Heero was the one out there, you would be leaving too! Don't you dare deny that."

"No, you're wrong. I wouldn't ... because I would worry about everyone else before my ass's desires."

Quatre fought back the urge to punch Duo, it wasn't as if he just wanted to be with Trowa again physically, but no matter how one looked at it, he was being selfish. "Look, I want out of this place. If I could get rid of my stupid powers I would ... I'm just so tired of this all -- and so is Honor, if you'd actually listen to her."

"I do!" Duo calmed himself a bit, knowing that his temper was getting the better of him. "Let me think about this. It's not like WuFei's going anywhere ..."

"Thank you, Duo."

Duo ruffled his hand through Quatre's hair and chuckled. "Sorry about what I said."

"You meant it -- and you're right to an extent. I am being selfish, but love is a selfish emotion."

"Yeah ... I know." A memory of Heero's body pressed closely to his own flashed past his mind's eye and caused an aching within him that could only be fixed by Heero, but that wasn't going to happen any time soon, especially since Lion and Hawk had their claws in him now. 

-----

Heero leaned against the cool stone wall, amazed at his fighting skills. Hawk had left him alone after spending most of the afternoon running him through various drills. If there had been any doubts left in his mind that he was in fact this person, Eiichi, which everyone had proclaimed, they were gone now. The markings on his arms were starting to slowly appear, the first sign that his old self was returning, not that Heero was aware of that, but he definitely felt different now. He lifted his hands up and stared down at his palms. Only a few moments ago, strong energy had flowed from them, striking Hawk with such force that he had been flung the entire length of the massive hall. His show of strength begged the question of what exactly was he? Heero grunted softly, dismissing the question from his mind. He was tired, hungry, and needed a long soak in the tub, not to ease any aching muscles, but to clear his mind.

One thing that truly did surprise him was that he was in no way tired after training for the better part of the day. He hadn't always been this way, he could remember clearly that whenever gym came around, he would tire before anyone else. What was it about this place that had changed him so? Why did feel even more energized now than when he had awakened that morning? Nothing was making any sense to him. He stood and made he was way up to his room for a nice long bath.

Once he was settled in the steaming bath water, Heero leaned his head back against the tall marble tub's rim. As he lay there, Knight's face popped into his mind, and it was just then that he remembered his promise to seek him out again so that they could finish their conversation. The thought made him sink deeper into the hot water. He didn't really want to finish talking with Knight, there was something about him that left an unsettled feeling within Heero's heart. Almost as if something was left unfinished, something horrible and painful. A soft scuffling noise pulled him from his thoughts and set him on guard immediately. The thought that it was someone like WuFei again made him tense, he didn't want to fight someone again, even though it felt as if his blood was now yearning for it.

Heero cleared his throat a bit nervously, hoping that it would draw some attention to the fact that there was someone present in the rooms. The soft scuffling got a bit louder, as if it were coming closer to him. That wasn't what he had wanted. Heero reached out to pick up his towel as the door began to creak open. He froze as a tall figure filled the empty door space. Clear blue eyes gazed down at him with an unreadable expression. "Well, well ... it looks as if he really was able to do his job." Heero swallowed hard not knowing who this person was or what he wanted. The man was a bit smaller than himself, but had the same broad body as Duo. To be truthful, he found this other man intimidating. "You don't seem to remember me. I suppose that it's good you don't remember anything -- have you spoken with Knight about the past?" 

Heero's eyebrows bunched together in utter confusion. He settled back into the tub and stared at the man, who was now lowering himself to sit upon the toilet cover. "Who are you?"

The man began to laugh, it was a deep throaty laugh one full of life and joy. At that moment, parts of Heero chastised him for being so jumpy. There was nothing to fear from this man, it was just that he was a bit suspicious, coming in unannounced while he was bathing. "I'm Jester, well -- Solo. I more or less raised Duo, Quatre, WuFei, Honor. We were all street kids, and we stuck together when we were dragged here. Well, wait -- no, Honor wasn't a street kid. She was," he glanced around to see if anyone was listening and once he seemed satisfied he continued, "taken forcibly from her family." 

"That's terrible!" Solo made a soft noise as he mulled over Heero's reaction. It wasn't much like Eiichi, but then he had lived twenty-six years in a world completely different from the one they were now in.

"Yes, it is isn't it?"

"May I ask why you came in here?" Solo chuckled softly. If this was the new Eiichi, he hoped that he could stay this way, it was nicer than his normal rudeness.

"I came in here because I wanted to tell you that Duo is looking for you. I also want you to know that you must be very careful. If Lion gets wind that you and Duo are seeing each other secretly that'll be the end of it. I'm not sure what he would do this time, but last time was bad enough -- so watch yourselves." Heero nodded, wondering what had happened the previous time, but Solo was getting up to leave and he seemed to not want to answer any questions which he had been left with. "I helped to hide your sneaking off together in the past, but I'm not sure if I can do it this time." His back was to Heero and there was a weariness in the way which he stood. "Please promise me that the two of you will be sensible this time. Just do what Lion wants and everyone will be happy and well." With that he left Heero to finish his bath. 

"Strange ..." Heero sunk back into the water, mulling over what Solo had said to him. It still puzzled him how everyone refused to tell him exactly what had happened between his old self and Knight. He knew for certain that they had at least been very close friends, with the possibility of being lovers, but there was something more, something sadder that no one seemed to want to speak of. Since Knight was looking for him, Heero decided that he would ask him all the questions he had about their relationship.

-----

"It's impossible."

Grey-blue eyes scanned the tall hill which Lion's castle sat upon. She had come because of WuFei, but now wasn't certain it had been a wise decision. Her two bodyguards stood next to her, and she could tell both of them were uneasy for differing reasons. The one who had spoken had a very good reason to be concerned, but the other, she suspected, was just too green to be this close to their enemy so soon.

In an attempt to calm both boys, she spoke quietly as she rested her hands on the guards' shoulders. "Quatre's a smart boy. His love will make him turn against Lion -- it's the only card we can play right now, so you better learn to be less cynical."

"Yes m'lady." They both bowed shallowly and the shorter of the two, the more nervous one, glanced around with an expression of total fear.

"I knew I shouldn't have brought you along. Look at you, your quivering."

The young brunette smiled sheepishly at his mistress. "Forgive me m'lady. I know I insisted upon coming. I'm truly sorry." His apology received a soft sigh from her and a grunt of disgust from the other guard.

"When did Quatre say that he would contact you?" 

The mistress looked up at the calmer guard and smiled. "At midnight. We wait until then." She prayed quietly that no one would discover their location before the set time, if they did then it would mean certain death for the timid guard and would spark the beginning of the revolution far sooner than planned.

Duo laid back on his bed, exhausted from the day's events. He had tried looking for Heero, but had been unable to find him. After a few moments of lying still, his eyes began to drift shut as he fell into a gentle slumber. As he slept he began to have a strange dream about rough hands sliding up and down his torso and heated breath panting in his ear. His body began to react to the touching, but something didn't feel right. He forced his way through the heaviness of sleep until his eyes opened, it was then he saw the figure moving next to him. Long blonde tresses fell upon his naked chest as the sheets were pushed slowly off his body. It took a few moments for his mind to register exactly what was happening. "Hawk?" His voice was still heavy with sleep causing a soft masculine chuckle to spill forth from the blonde. He tried to scoot away from him, but a strong pair of hands pinned him back onto the bed.

Hawk pressed his mouth fervently against Duo's, nipping and biting at the other's clinched lips. Duo tried to push him off, but Hawk's entire body was now holding him in place. "Why are you struggling? If I were Heero, would you still struggle?"

"Get the fuck off of me," Duo growled with a strong air of defiance. He stared into what were normally proud and strong clear blue eyes, but now they were clouded as if --. With a burst of strength, Hawk was thrown off and fell with a sickening thud onto the wood floor.

Duo had to get out of his room, quickly. One of Hawk's slender hands grabbed onto the sheet as he began to sit up. "You know, that hurt ..." The laughter which burst forth from the blonde was a hollow and unnatural sound. Duo grabbed his robe and backed away from the bed. This didn't look good for him. He could feel the barrier which had been set on his door; there was no way out and Hawk seemed very determined to get what he wanted. His stalker rose slowly from the floor, and cast an evil leer in his direction. "I see."

Duo's violet eyes narrowed as he glared at the intruder. "See what? Did Lion put you up to this?"

"Put me up to what? Trying to sleep with you? My dear Duo, I've always been attracted to you ... this is only natural." He was slowly making his way across the room toward Duo, whose brain was frantically trying to come up with a way to rid himself of Hawk. "Let's play a bit -- just a bit. No one will have to know ... and since it's with me, then you can have your fun and Lion will simply overlook it." The man had gone crazy, at least that was Duo's conclusion. "You look frightened." 

"Not frightened. Why would you frighten me? You're crazy."

"No. I'm perfectly aware of what I'm doing right now, and why." Before Duo could react, Hawk had thrown him onto the ground using a burst of magic energy. His head bounced on the floor and dazed him, the room began to spin and in only a few moments his world went black.

_Gundam Wing belongs to Hajime Yadate, Yoshiyuki Tomino, and Bandai_


End file.
